Student boymatova saodat supervisor: tadjiyeva mastura

General information about extracurricular activities

An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. Such activities are generally voluntary (as opposed to mandatory), social, philanthropic, and often involve others of the same age. Students and staff direct these activities under faculty sponsorship, although student-led initiatives, such as independent newspapers, are very common. However, sometimes the school principals and teachers also bring in these activities in the school among the students.¹
Nowadays the contemporary schools work with tendencies and the intensions of reformative orientations in pedagogy that encourage the opening of schools to the needs of youth and the expansion of its educational values to the extracurricular, leisure time of young people, as well. So students gather according to different extracurricular activities such as sport, music science research. School offer their students the option to spend their free time in an effective and learning environment by choosing of the extracurricular activities whose aim is to develop individual education.
Extracurricular activities are important site in which contemporary educational goals can be realized and teaching strategies that facilitate learning are successfully carried out. Students have the opportunity to use strategies of differences and similarities, practicing, reviewing, cooperative learning feedback, creating and testing hypotheses and of forming questions.
Extracurricular activities enrich the life of a school, often giving it a distinctiveness that makes it recognizable within its environment. These kinds of activities represent planned educational tasks which are done within the regular lessons and provide an area of interest and student’s personal affirmation.
There are two different points of view about extracurricular activities: a narrower and a broader one. According to a narrower point of view, extracurricular activities are part of the school after regular lessons, which a broader perspective relates to the possibility the wider community. A narrower understanding of extracurricular activities can be found in Pedagogical Encyclopedia in which extracurricular work includes the various activities of pupils within the school and organized by the school, but outside the curriculum and the program of regular lessons.²
Extracurricular activities help students to gain professional development which is based on the constructivist learning theory model .A professional teacher, an interested group of students, a classroom equipped with means and aids investing effort into an activity, and also the support and understanding of the school and the environment are all required needs for the quality implementation of extracurricular activities and enrichment of students’ experiences.
The program of every activity should take into account of the needs of the pupils as well as the school and the community .Planning extracurricular work demands an excellent knowledge of the social, psychological, didactical and professional dimensions of teaching.
Extracurricular activities should realize goals and tasks that cannot be realized within regular lessons. One should aim towards offering activities that are in tune with current events, and thus contribute to the broadening of the pupils' horizons. In this manner, a possibility is for extracurricular activities to become a valuable and important area for nurturing and fostering a learner's positive qualities, and for stimulating and developing individual abilities and the corresponding skills. With the introduction of extracurricular activities into schools, new opportunities for the additional involvement of young people are opened, as is the opportunity for their versatile development and education. Contemporary strategies organize students' activities in a freer fashion, according to their interests and affinities, in order for them to expand and deepen the knowledge they have acquired by connecting theory and practice, and to deepen their need for cultural events in their leisure time. The students' enthusiasm for further work, activity and effort stems from the fact that the activity was voluntarily chosen, is flexible in its tasks, has an open approach and is held in a comfortable environment. In respect of the aforementioned, students are motivated for work and for studying a certain topic or area which, therefore, immediately affects their development. It is important to stress that teachers (and students) have the option of suggesting topics and activities according to their area of interest, which we consider a great organizational advantages. Extracurricular activities are subdivided into 3 major groups plus two combined forms:
Academic and common interests circles. These are a very important part of student’s life. Teachers believe these circles develop personalities of students and broaden their scope of vision. The requirements for the circles’ meetings are clearly defined. The topics are useful for everyday life of students, complement the material studied in class at particular moment and are chosen in regards with students’ queries and their age group. The aim of circles is to broaden the topics previously covered in class and study them in depth. The types of circles included: extracurricular home reading, translation and interpretation, Communication, Drama, Choir, Hometown studies, and Game circles.
Diversity in clubs and extracurricular activities plays an important role in adolescent lives and futures. Exposure to diverse groups can help promote adolescents to become socially intelligent and responsible adults. However, being immersed in diverse populations is not enough, as it is only beneficial if members engage with each other. More meaningful interactions with a diverse range of peers allow people to acquire traits such as more socially responsible leadership skills. Furthermore, participating in ethnic clubs allowed minority groups to feel more connected to their cultures and allowed others to gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures. This has two key benefits: first, minority groups have a safe place to feel a sense of belonging to their cultural roots and background, and second, people of differing ethnic backgrounds have an opportunity to learn more about other cultures, thus becoming more culturally competent.
Correlational studies showed positive relationships with involvement in ethnic/cultural clubs and intellectual and psychosocial development, multicultural competence, interpersonal skills, and leadership. Additionally, in school settings, interracial friendships positively impacted the individuals involved and the school culture as a whole. This demonstrates the importance of implementing multiculturalism into school environments, both academically and in extracurricular activities. It is important to continue research on incorporating multiculturalism and ethnic/cultural clubs into schools. Creating a multicultural competent environment for diverse student populations allows them to engage with others, openly discuss possible biases and stereotypes, and form meaningful intergroup relationships. If this is implemented at a young age, it is more likely to carry into adulthood, thus molding a more socially and culturally competent adult.
Although there is no conclusive evidence that participation in extracurricular activities leads to success in high school, it is evident that there is strong association between participation and success. Student who participate in extracurricular activities, across the board, have better attendance, higher levels of achievement, and aspirations of attending college.
There is however a strong correlation between college acceptance, scholarship and participation in extracurricular activities. In addition to academic performance, college admission boards want to see accomplishment, initiative, commitment and leadership in their applicants. Participation in extracurricular activities at the high school level can make the difference between getting in or not getting into many colleges, and extracurricular achievement is often the key to qualifying for merit based scholarships.
Extracurricular activities are clearly much more than just a resume builder (although that’s an obvious benefit), and as a teacher I’ve seen how they can be the one thing that gets students to school every day. Ask any high school student what their favorite part of school is, and more often than not, you’ll hear about drama club or football games, not first period math. Although extracurricular has the prefix “extra,” they are anything but. These activities teach fundamental skills in a way that can stick with students forever. So what exactly are those benefits?
Whether it’s calling a coach or adviser, solving a problem with teammates, or planning events, extracurricular activities give students more opportunities to communicate with others than they would have otherwise. Many activities also give students a chance to practice their public speaking skills, whether it’s pumping up the team before a game or giving a speech at Academic Decathlon.
Other than the occasional dreaded group project, students could get through school pretty easily without learning a whole lot about teamwork. That is, unless they join a club or activity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “For some students, social interaction in extracurricular activities is their first experience working with others toward a common goal. And teamwork is an important skill that most instructors and employers view favorably.”³
Students in extracurricular activities have many opportunities to practice being leaders: captains, officer positions, organizers or leaders of events, even mentoring younger students, athletes, or club members. As a leader in an extracurricular activity, students get a taste of what it’s like to lead a company or direct a group of colleagues--all in a low-stakes and fun environment. You can’t learn what it truly means to be a leader by sitting in a desk listening to other people all day.
These time management skills help students do well in school as they plan their day to get everything done, and they also translate to the real world when teachers, coaches, and parents aren’t there to remind them every day of what needs to get done.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics echoed this sentiment; “Researchers found that self-motivation is a factor: Achieving success in an activity that interests them requires students to develop good time-management habits that carry over into schoolwork.”
The more students work on the skills they develop through their extracurricular activities, the more they have a chance to build their confidence in themselves. When students do something well or when they see that they’ve improved over time, they grow confidence in their abilities. Students who have traditionally struggled in the classroom can build confidence when they find success in extracurricular activities.
An article for Teens Health from Nemours reveals that “Confidence helps us feel ready for life's experiences. When we're confident, we're more likely to move forward with people and opportunities.” As students work to develop their confidence, they start opening the door for more and bigger opportunities.
Whether it’s showing up to practice every day and putting in the hard work so you don’t let your team down or remembering to bring the dip for the culture club party, extracurricular activities inherently come with responsibilities.
Every parent can be heard at one point or another telling their child they need to be more responsible. Most teenagers don’t care about bringing their dirty dishes to the sink, but they do care about their activities. When they have responsibilities related to the things they care about, they’re more inherently motivated to carry out their responsibilities, thus preparing them for the real world where the responsibilities never end.
These all sound like things that nobody really wants to experience, but that’s exactly why they’re so beneficial. Nobody seeks out failure, but unfortunately it’s a necessary part of life. When students face these mini failures, they learn how to cope, and they’re then more equipped to handle bigger failures as they go through life.⁴
High school can be a very lonely place, especially when you feel like you don’t belong. Studies suggest that the presence of extracurricular activities can help students connect better with their school, creating a sense of community. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that “Recent research suggests that participation in extracurricular activities may increase students' sense of engagement or attachment to their school.”
Anyone who has ever been to a pep rally or seen the community come together to support a production of the drama club has seen this in action. When students have a club, sport, or activity that they belong to, they know that they have a safe place to go to and fit in while they’re at school. This also creates a safe space for students to be themselves and make friends with other students who have similar interests. Often, students make friends with people they might never have met if it hadn’t been for a similar interest in French or community service.
Whether it’s for a scholarship, a job, or a college application, almost all high school students need a letter of recommendation at some point. Often, students default to asking the teacher of the class where they have their highest grade, which isn’t actually a great strategy.
What students really should seek is the teacher, mentor, or coach who knows them well and can speak to their work ethic, personality, and special skills. More often than not, this is going to come out of a relationship formed outside of a traditional academic class. It’s much easier to write a glowing letter about a student when the teacher or mentor knows them on a more personal level.
Multiple studies and surveys have found that extracurricular activities can reduce risky behaviors. There are many factors that come into play in this. When students are engaged in extracurricular activities, they have less time to be engaged in risky behaviors, they often have a plethora of positive role models, they feel a responsibility to not let their team or club down, and they want to be at their best to perform well, among other reasons.
One study found that “how students feel about their school environment also impacts their risk of delinquent and risky behavior. Students who view their academic environment as positive are less likely to be involved in serious delinquency or risky behavior.” This is just one example of how all the benefits of extracurricular combine to benefit students. That feeling of community and connection to the school is part of what cuts down on risky behaviors.
When it comes to college acceptance, most college admission boards aren't as interested in what you do in your free time as much as they are in the extracurricular activities and accomplishments that demonstrate your level of initiative, commitment, accomplishment, and leadership. It's perfectly fine to spend hours on your favorite hobby (i.e., video games, crochet, etc.) but it's important that you schedule time on a regular basis to be involved in extracurricular activities that showcase who you are and the direction you're headed.
So clearly, extracurricular activities are great, but not everybody is made to be on the football team or debate club. Fortunately, even small and rural schools have a plethora of extracurricular activities to choose from. Of course, what is available depends on the school but at many schools teachers are even willing to help students set up activities if there is enough student interest. Below are just some examples of the many extracurricular activities schools might offer.

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